Archive for the 'Jaroslav Halak' Tag Under 'Ducks' Category

ST. LOUIS -- Some teams struggle to find one reliable goaltender. Others, like the Ducks, are riding the one they've got every night.

That isn't the case in St. Louis where Blues coach Ken Hitchcock has two netminders -- Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott -- to choose from that are playing at the top of their game.

Hitchcock has split the workload up fairly evenly, with Halak getting the start against Anaheim tonight for his 39th appearance. Elliott, who is slated to go Saturday against Columbus, has played in 31 games. Neither has gone more than five games without getting some work.

Hitchcock said he doesn't give much thought to which goalie starts on what night, even though his assistants often break down who is performing well in recent games and who has fared better historically against a particular opponent.

"The thinking for me is going to start when we get in the playoffs," he said. "I'm going to have to make some decisions there. But right now, both are going."

Only in hockey. For the 23rd time, a No. 8 seed ousted a No. 1 on Wednesday, and for the first time the No. 8 did it after trailing the series 3-1.

A great performance by Montreal's Jaroslav Halak, who was so good at the Olympics in Slovakia's net, eliminated Washington - the third consecutive year that Alex Ovechkin & Co. have been ousted on home ice in a Game 7.

But then Detroit went to Phoenix, ignored the white-out and punished the Coyotes in Game 7 Tuesday. And the Penguins were 3-0 in Ottawa's arena. And the road teams in the Vancouver-Kings series were 3-3.